Little Lucy - S02 E13

Story 2 years ago

Little Lucy - S02 E13

Read Story: SEASON 2 EPISODE 13

The next morning I woke up at eight minutes after seven. I lay on my bed and stared at the sky I could see through the window.

Today is the day, I thought, and ran my fingers through my hair. Damian would be out there….

I moved my legs restlessly under the sheet. Somewhere downstairs, I heard movement: the clatter of cups and saucers. Mom must be making breakfast.

Damian.

I wondered how he’d react with what I had in mind to tell him today.

I threw off the sheet and swung my legs to the floor. There was a sick feeling of tension in the pits of my stomach.

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring down at my naked feet. My mind began to blood over the details of the words I have to say to Damian, but I quickly stopped that. There was no point in going over the details again.

I’d just walk up to him and say, ” hey Damian, I think I like you and well, you see I have a thing for girls but Chole thinks it’s a bad thing. She believes if I have a boyfriend it’d cure me of my obsession of girls. I know it sounds crazy but I’ll say this; please be my boyfriend.”

No, no, no, that’s just stupid. Damian would only freak out.

Rising to my feet, I walked over to my window and peeked out.

Damian was outside, watering the garden. I stood by my window, staring down at him.

He had a hand in his pocket, his other hand on the hose, guiding it across the flowers. There was a headphone hanging over his head.

” Ask him out on a date she says,” I frowned, thinking about what Charlotte said yesterday.

•••You’ve only experienced romance from your own s£x…..The moment you start dating a boy, it’d crowd out everything that’s ever occupied your mind towards your own gender•••

Knock! Knock!

” Baby,” it was mom. She turned the handle and stepped into the room. ” Just wanted to check on you. I’m not bothering you, am I?”

I was glad to see her. She hadn’t been home lately. Her wedding was three days away. There were a lot to be done. I’ve never seen her this hardworking in my life.

” Oh mom,” I walked up to her and hugged her, burying my face in her chest. ” I need you.”

Mom held me tight. ” What is it? Talk to me, baby.”

We sat down on my bed. I needed someone to talk to. Mom just matched my current mood.

” Mom,” I began, picking my words slowly. ” There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”

” I’m all ears,” mom stroked my hair gently. She had that encouraging smile on her face. ” Don’t be shy.”

I swallowed then began what I wanted to say. ” Mom, I think I’ve fallen in love with someone.”

Mom made no expression. The smile on her face was fixed but her eyes were asking really serious questions.

I thought it wise to use a boy to disguise Collette.

” I wouldn’t want to call names,” I continued. ” I met this person sometime ago and well, I fell in love with the person. We weren’t dating but I feel special whenever we’re together. But over time we split up and went separate ways. Now I missed this person Soo much I got caught up with my feelings for someone else. Eventually I realized my mistakes. I wanted to start my life all over again and focus on myself and my future. Then yesterday, I bumped into a boy. To my astonishment, I get the same feelings I get whenever I’m around my first love. We just met yesterday and it felt like love at first sight. I’m confused, mom.”

Mom was quiet but after a while, she spoke up. ” Who is this first love of yours?”

” I rather don’t call names, mom,” I answered, not sure how she’d react if I told her my first love was Collette.

Mom nodded her head but she was still filled with questions. ” And since when have you had this feelings for him?”

She still thinks I’m talking about a boy. ” Right before I got enrolled in Q.A,” I lied.

” That’s interesting,” mom placed her hands on her lap, crossing her leg. ” If I’m understanding what you’re saying, you have a thing for your first love but you feel that he’s becoming a major distraction to you and just when you’re made up to get over him and focus on your life, you ran into another boy with the same butterfly feelings you got for your first love, isn’t that right?”

Who said my mom was a dummy?

” Exactly, mom,” I replied. ” Now I don’t know what to do.”

Mom smiled, she looked steadily into my eyes. ” Lucy, have you ever kissed boy before?”

I was anxious to know what’d be her reaction if I told her my first kiss was stolen by a girl and I’ve never kissed a boy in my entire life.

” No, mom,” I said. ” I haven’t kissed a boy.”

She was relieved to hear that. I could see it in her eyes.

” That’s good,” she moistured her lips. ” Alright, first things first. Do you have any idea why I put you in an all girl’s school?”

I shook my head even though I knew why.

” It’s because I don’t want you getting distracted with the wrong idea about dating and all that stuff,” mom answered. ” Look, dating isn’t bad in any way. Falling in love is not a crime either. It’s good to have feelings for someone. Before I met your father, I dated three different guys. My first boyfriend was my crush back then in high school. We did some really crazy things together. That was lust, not love but it was fun because we were teenagers: young and foolish. We graduated and went different paths never to meet again. Now I’m an adult. I’m matured enough to date any man I want and marry. I’ve always been unlucky in relationships, baby. My second boyfriend left me for another chick, my third boyfriend didn’t give me the time, care, love and attention I needed. I had to break up with him and focus on my education. I met your dad, my late husband at a job interview. The city’s bank was vacant for a very important position. We had both come for the job. I got the job but they couldn’t hire him despite his qualifications. Somehow, we got talking and eventually became close friends. I married your father but unfortunately for me, I lost him.”

I listened, trying not to cry. The memory of dad’s death was hurting. I knew the trauma mom went through over his death.

” Why I’m I telling you this?” Mom placed her hand on my chest. ” Follow your heart. Do what you know best. My parents didn’t stop me from dating. They only advised me. Make your own decisions, baby but thread with caution. You’re sixteen years old. In this part of the world, you’re still inmatured and far too young to be bothered about relationships but there are some countries where you’re officially an adult at sixteen. You’re not a kid anymore. Follow your heart. You know what you want so go for it. I don’t want you falling victim of heartbreak but then again, if you really love someone, go for him. Just make sure you get to invite him over for dinner. A man who loves you would want to meet your family. I’m speaking from experience.”

” Does this means you’re cool with me having a boyfriend?”

” I know that’s where this whole conversation would lead to but yeah, I’m cool with it so long as I get to meet the guy your heart chooses. If I told you never to get a boyfriend, you might be dating behind my back. I don’t want that. I want you to have a free mind. Feel free to bring your boyfriend to my house for dinner. I’ll entertain him. Do what makes you happy.”

This was why I don’t joke with my mom. There was no one like her. I wrapped my arms around her.

” I love you, mom, you’re the best ever.”

Mom stroked my hair. ” That’s my baby girl.”

” Aren’t you worried I might get distracted if I get in a relationship?” I asked because she had deliberately refused to bring up that part.

Mom shook her head. ” I’m not worried. Your grades are very great. You can keep a boyfriend at home but once you’re at school, there’d be no one to distract you. Q.A is a school for girls to lose themselves to study. You’ll do great. I trust you.”

That ended with another long hug from me to my sweet mother.

” I won’t disappoint you, mom. I won’t.”

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The moment mom left, I picked up a pen and a sheet of paper.

I wrote two words in big letters. I wrote:

D!CK

P*SSY

I’m Soo undecided about my life right now. I hope this helps. I was going to choose one.

Closed my eyes, I did eeny meeny miny more and it fell on D!CK.

I opened my eyes. D!CK?!

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I’ve decided what I was going to do. I was going to go down there across the road. I’m going to Meet Damian and speak to him.

Standing outside our house, I stared at Damian as he watered the garden, lost in the music booming from his headphones hanging over his head.

I glanced up to see Charlotte watching me from her window. She was with a can of beer and she gave me a thumbs up.

” This is it, Lucy,” I said aloud. ” This is for your own good. You just walk up to him and say hi. You need to cure yourself off your condition. Collette would want that, won’t she? Of course she would, silly. Having a boyfriend would cure you. Go out there and get Damian.”

Taking a deep breath, I took a step at a time towards the roadside knowing mom was somewhere in the house watching me and Charlotte with her can of beer up by her window, eyes watchful as well.

This is crazy. I barely knew this guy but if I was going to do this, I have to try in a more indirect way of making him my boyfriend.

My very first boyfriend.

I crossed the road. His back was turned to me.

I crossed the lawn of his house. He still hadn’t noticed I was approaching him.

I stood behind him. His back was still turned to me, a hand in his pocket, the other holding the hose that watered the garden.

Raising an unsteady hand, I lightly touched his shoulder.

Damian started out of his skin in fright. He turned around sharply. Once he saw me, he relaxed.

” Lucy?” He removed the headphones immediately. ” What are you doing out here so early?”

My mouth had suddenly gone dried. I passed a tongue over it. ” Good morning, Damian.”

Damian cocked his head to one side. ” Umm…. Good morning. You look sick, are you okay, Lucy?”

I looked terrible but I had to do this. It’s surprising how shaky I am about talking to him. Yesterday I was bold enough to speak to him and make a lively conversation. Today I was a coward.

I was a coward because I was going to ask him to be my boyfriend. Like where in the world does a girl ask a boy to date her?

” I’m fine,” I faked a laugh. ” Just wanted to know if you’ll be busy tonight.”

Damnit Lucy! Why are you being Soo direct? Now he’s gonna think you’re desperate.

Damian shook his head. ” Nope, I’m free. My folks aren’t coming back till next tomorrow. Why asking?”

I stared at his afro hair then at his eyes. ” Actually, there’s something I wanted to ask you for. If you’d really love to, I’d be happy.”

Damian was puzzled but he nodded all the same. ” I’m listening.”

I began stammering. ” I—I… I was hoping…I was hoping…y–you would…if you don’t mind…”

He stared at me as if I was some freak.

This sucks! Mom and Charlotte would be in their room watching me. Charlotte would probably be having a good laugh after this.

Curse you, Charlotte!

I swallowed and eventually said it. ” Damian, would you love to come to dinner tonight at my place?”

Damian didn’t say anything. We stared at each other for a while. Then he chuckled.

” You’re a chicken, Lucy. Is that what got you soo worked up?”

I gasped. ” Hey, who are you calling chicken?”

” You,” he returned to watering the garden, a big smile on his face. ” You should’ve seen the way you were shaking like a fallen leaf. I thought you were about doing a love confession.”

I couldn’t believe this dude. ” Love confession? You wish!”

He laughed. ” Come on, don’t get yourself worked up, Lucy. I was only kidding. Look, the next time you want to invite a guy over for dinner at your house, get a hold of yourself. Stop acting like a virgin on her first night at prom.”

I poked him in the chest. ” You perv!”

He laughed more, edging away from me. ” How’s your elbow?”

” I don’t know,” I turned my back to him. ” What do you care.”

Damian grinned. He raised the hose towards me and I felt rushing water splashing down on me.

” Why you,” I charged after him. ” You’re messing up my clothes!”

He ran away from my reach. ” I’ll lend you mine. Come and get me, lil Lucy.”

And that was how I ended up playing with Damian in his garden. It was fun while it lasted. We laughed about it till I had to leave for home to go get a change of clothes.

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For the next two days, Damian and I were the perfect besties. He came every night to have dinner at my house.

Mom entertained him well. She welcomed him just like she’d welcome a guest.

Damian’s first dinner with us made my night. Step dad was there and so was Charlotte and mom.

Damian wouldn’t stop talking. I discovered he was a talker but the great thing about Damian was that no matter how long he talks, you can never get tired of him.

His laugh always makes you want to laugh. He was a comedian and he kept stepdad entertained with his funny jokes. It made me feel good seeing Benjamin laughing hard. For a man with few words, he does seemed to enjoy a good humour.

I enjoyed our dinner. It was the best family dinner I’ve had in years. Charlotte was unusually quiet. She hadn’t said anything to me after Damian’s first dinner. It was the same with Damian’s second dinner with the family.

My instincts told me she was probably giving me time to get myself used to the idea of being with a boy.

The initial plan was to get a boyfriend but I decided not to rush things up. I’ll ask Damian out but not now. When the time comes, I’ll confess to him.

I gotta say this. Damian became my very first male friend ever.

And soon…. very Soon, he’s gonna be my first boyfriend.

I wasn’t looking forward to that day but if Charlotte thought it best for me, then I was going to do it.

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Mom’s wedding day.

It was held at the Catholic cathedral. It was the most happiest day of mom’s life. I coolval stories had dressed up in my most prettiest dress with make-ups on my face and my high heels on my legs.

Today was mom’s day. I have to look my best.

Charlotte came into my room just when I was preparing to leave.

She was in an apple green suit that clung to her body. She had packed her dreadlocks into a ponytail. She wasn’t the make-up type but her lip gloss brought out the beauty in her anyway.

” You look great, Chole,” I said moving towards her.

” You look awfully Happy,” she noted, watching my face closely.

” Duh,” I rolled my eyes. ” It’s mom’s wedding. I’m excited, aren’t you?”

She walked fully into the room, a can of beer in her hand. She opened it and drank from it. ” Yeah, yeah, I’m excited.”

She didn’t look excited. She looked sad and tired.

” Oh for crying out loud,” I raised my hands in the air. ” Do you seriously have to hit the Bottle again? Alcohol isn’t what you need at the moment.”

” It gives me consolation,” she sipped a little, then cleaned her mouth. ” Is Damian coming?”

” Yes,” I said. ” I told him to be ready at nine.”

I had informed Damian, Charlotte would be driving us to the cathedral for moms wedding. Damian nearly yelled his throat out.

” Do you want me dead?!”

It took a lot of convincing from me to make him accept the idea of Charlotte driving us to the wedding. I wouldn’t blame him. Charlotte was a crazy driver and now she’s hitting the bottles again, heavens know how todays ride will be.

It was past ten o’clock and we were awfully late. Mom and dad were already out of the house. It’s tradition the groom don’t get to see the bride before the wedding so dad left with his friends while mom left with her friends.

” Charlotte, we have to get going,” I said, checking my watch. ” We’re late.”

” Give me a minute,” Charlotte snapped. It took another five minutes before she finished her beer. ” Alright, let’s go.”

As we were heading down the stairs, Charlotte said, ” you and Damian are getting close. It’s good. Keep it up. With time, your condition would be cured.”

I was certain she had been meaning to say that to me for a long time.

I would’ve said something in return to her but I didn’t. We’ll have a talk in the evening. Right about now, I just want to celebrate with mom.

Damian was outside beside the Range Rover, waiting for us.

He stiffened when he saw Charlotte. She didn’t even respond to his greetings. She simply opened the drivers seat and got in.

That was rude but Damian wasn’t the guy to be bothered about such things. He never liked Charlotte anyways.

I made him smile with my outfit. He gave his funny compliment.

” Cinderella,” he opened the passenger seat. ” My lil Lucy, did it hurt when you drop from heaven?”

” Mumu {you fool}” I teased him playfully. ” Stop joking around.”

” I can’t help it,” he got in after me. ” You dey make me go bananas.”

” Oh shut up, Damian. You talk too much.”

The drive to the Cathedral was scary. Charlotte was on high-speed. We nearly hit a moving truck. It was a miracle we arrived safely at the cathedral without a scratch. I had to grab Damian’s arm for support else I’d have fallen to the ground. Even Damian was shaken from the crazy ride.

We were really late but there were reservations for me, Charlotte and Damian.

Damian had a seat with the men, the ladies had theirs. I sat next to Charlotte with another empty chair by my side.

Benjamin was standing by the alter with the priest. The door opened and mom stepped out with an elderly man, his arm locked in hers.

I didn’t recognize mom. She was in a white wedding dress, a veil covering her face. I’ve never seen her Soo beautiful in my life.

” That’s my grandpa,” I said to Charlotte as everyone rose up to their feet. ” I’m surprised to see him. This wedding is filled with surprises.”

Charlotte didn’t say anything. She stared as mom was led to the alter to meet her husband to be who was dazzling in a tuxedo suit.

The moment mom was standing by the alter with her husband to be, everyone returned to their seats while the priest continued with the ” I do’s” stuff.

From nowhere, I heard a very familiar soft voice.

” Excuse me. Excuse me. I’m sorry about that.”

Even Charlotte heard that voice. I had an eerie feeling about that voice.

A girl in a white lovely dress came over to the empty seat by my side and sat down. She dropped her small handbag on her lap and Crossed her legs.

Both Charlotte and I stared at her. She was wearing dark donut sized sunglasses that covered her eyes but that wasn’t what made us stare at her.

It was her long silky dark hair, her perfume and the structure of her face and her thin lips.

She was looking straight at the two couples about to become husband and wife.

” If there’s anyone who has any objections to why these two beautiful couples should not be joined as husband and wife, stand up or forever hold your peace.”

It was at that moment, this mysterious girl removed her sunglasses, unmasking her face.

I received a Jabbing shock! I heard Charlotte catching her breath!

Seated right beside us, her face deadpan, her lips pursed, her eyes hard and cold, was COLLETTE!

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